3.05 Valuing diversity

Some people think that valuing diversity means ignoring or minimizing differences. They may say things like, “I don’t see you as being female” or “I don’t care which religion you choose to follow.” While these people may have the best intentions, they are still missing the mark. Valuing diversity does not mean ignoring differences or minimizing other people’s unique experiences; rather, it means openly acknowledging differences and believing that they are assets instead of problems.

Watch motivational speaker and author Odell Bizzell explain diversity in his video "What Is Diversity?"What is diversity? Links to an external site.

Valuing diversity is important for several reasons. First, and most obviously, diversity cannot be avoided. It is up to us as individuals and groups to make diversity a positive rather than a negative. The reality of diversity is most evident in the demographic makeup of today’s workforce. Just a few decades ago, the workforce consisted predominantly of white males. Today, white males make up less than half of the workforce in the United States. There are now many more female and minority workers in the labor force, and the average worker is older as well. The benefits of hiring a variety of age groups is explored in the Big Think video “Creating Diversity in the Workplace Means Hiring for a Diversity of Ages." Links to an external site.

Globalization offers more proof of the inevitability of diversity. With so many advances in technology and communication, the world has gotten smaller. In the course of one work day, an employee may deal with people in several different countries or from various cultures—through email, over the phone, by mail or fax, or in a video conference. For this reason, employees who value diversity are in high demand, and companies without them will find it difficult to succeed. Watch Shark Tank investor and entrepreneur Barbara Corcoran explain how to build a successful business team in the Columbia Business School video “Diversity in Leadership.”Barbara Corcoran on Diversity in Leadership Links to an external site.

As you can see, diversity is a reality that everyone faces. But, diversity shouldn’t just be valued because it’s inevitable. Diversity also brings different views, experiences, and strengths to the table. This is invaluable in a group or organizational setting. Let’s say you are on the committee planning an industry conference in your city. You think you have all your bases covered, but then a hearing-impaired committee member reminds you that it would be a good idea to have a sign language interpreter on hand during the keynote speech in case there are any deaf or hearing-impaired people in the audience. You might not have considered this if a hearing-impaired person weren’t on the committee—diversity helped you do a better job! For more on the importance of considering—and reaching—a wider audience, watch the Google video “Unconscious Bias @ Work—Making the Unconscious Conscious.”Unconscious Bias @ Work—Making the Unconscious Conscious Links to an external site.

When diverse perspectives, experiences, and strengths are present, it allows for greater creativity and innovation. For example, your company is facing a problem—sales are down, and feedback indicates that you are not connecting with consumers as well as you should be. You need to brainstorm for solutions—and fast. If you fill the room with people who are all very similar, you’ll get a lot of the same viewpoints and opinions. However, if you bring in a diverse group of employees, you’re a lot more likely to come up with a variety of ideas and solutions. Having a diverse perspective also helps organizations pursue larger markets by understanding and appealing to a variety of cultures. Take a look at the Career Girls’ video “Importance of Diversity” to hear about the value and importance of different viewpoints.Economist: Importance of Diversity - Cecilia Rouse Career Girls Role Model Links to an external site.

When it comes to politics and social movements, a diverse perspective is crucial for success. When political candidates run for office or organizations promote ideas, they need to convince others their ideas have value. For example, a political candidate may be a Catholic, Hispanic male who needs to relate to a diverse group of voters—men, women, white, black, Hispanic, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim, LGBTQ+, young, and old. On his own, he may not know how to reach and relate to these voters. But if he has a diverse campaign staff, he’ll have a valuable resource to help him figure it out!

Lastly, we should value diversity because it allows us to grow both personally and professionally. You may have a new classmate from a country you’re not sure you could find on a map—but if you take the time to get to know her, you might discover that she’s a great cook and loves to share recipes from her country. You might have felt nervous about hiring the employee in the wheelchair—but now you wonder how your business could ever succeed without him. When we fail to value diversity, we cheat ourselves out of great relationships and great opportunities. Young people explain how diversity has impacted their lives in the USA Today video “Teens Talk About Diversity.”Teens talk about diversity Links to an external site.